Accordion



No. 619,558. Patented Feb. 14, 1899.

J. GALLEAZZI.

ACCORDION.

(Applic'ltion filed m. 51, 1897.

3 Sheets-Shani I.

(No Model.)

INVENTEJE W K192i? Patented Fab. l4, I899. J. GALLEAZZI.

ACCORDION (Applicatio n filed 1hr. 81, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheat 3.

(No Model.)

WITNEEEEE INVENTUE M 54/ W v4 k .the left.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GALLEAZZT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ACCORDION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,558, dated February14, 1899.

I Application filed March 31, 1897- Serial No. 630,175. (No model.)

instrument of still greater compass than the one already patented to mewithout increasing its external dimensions or adding materially to itsweight, and this is done by the use of a simple supplemental mechanismwhich though allowing the same music to be rendered as heretofore iscapable of producing also chords of the seventh, and, further, by theuse of a damper of peculiar construction adapted to shut off the basswhen desired, so the melody alone will be heard, all as hereinafterdescribed.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is aplan repre senting the end of the accordion to which my improvement isapplied, the same being broken away at diiferent places in order to showthe construction as it appears at different levels. Fig. 2 is apartly-broken perspective view of a sliding plate carrying leversrespectively adapted to open the fourth valve required in each instanceto obtain the various chords of the seventh that can be played with theinstrument. Fig. 3 is a cross-section, on a reduced scale, of theconstruction represented at Fig. 1, the same being taken from line 3 3of the latter figure, looking to but showing some of the working partsin a different position. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating thearrangements of the keys or digitals used at that end of the accordionwhich contains my improvement. Fig. 6 is another diagram indicating someof the triads and the seventh chords which my improved accordion willproduce. Fig. 7 is a detailed view in perspective of the reed board orblock and damper shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the dam- Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3,

per being opened or thrown back more than appears in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is aside view of the construction shown at Fig. 7, the damper being closed,as in Fig. 4.

As in my two patents aforementioned the letter A designates one of thetwo perforated boxes that are united by a bellows and together with itconstitute the body of the instrument. The other box and bellowsillustrated in my first patent are omitted herein, because the presentimprovement, like that of mysecond patent, is connected merelywith thebox A. A

A A A A designate, respectively, the valved openings, under which arelocated the four sets of reeds with'which the box A of my patent, aswell as of my improved accordion, is provided. Only one set of thesereeds d is shown herein, for the reason that it is the only one to whichmy present improvement has any direct relation. The reeds d, as alsothose which are not shown, are secured at one end to slitted metalplates (1 fitted over small compartments or cells formed in a board orblock D after the manner illustrated in my first patent aforesaid. Thebass tones are rendered by the reeds d, placed under the openings A, andtheir replicatesin two higher octaves by the other reeds to be foundunder the openings A A A directly opposite. From under the openings Acome the highest tones, and the middle tones come from under theopenings A while from under the openings A come tones that belong toeither one or the other of these two categories, the reeds there beingcoincident in pitch and playing in unison with either the reeds under Aor those under A opposite them. As heretofore, the reeds are placed inpairs under each opening, the reeds in each pair being tuned to the samepitch and arranged to vibrate in opposite directions in such a way thatone of them always will be sounded, and the same tones maybe hadcontinuously as long as desired whether the bellows is being expanded orcontracted. The openings are in pairs also and controlled, asin myprevious patents, by two rows of oppositely-located valves E E, theopenings A and A by the valves E, and the openings A and A by the valvesE. Being in pairs controlled by single valves, it follows that twoopenings are uncovered at the same time when any one valve is opened andthe reeds thereunder are sounded simultaneously or in pairs, giving twotones for each valve that is thus opened. When two of the valves E E"are opened together, fourtones are heard in three octaves. lVhen threevalves are opened to produce common chords, six tones are given, and iffour valves are opened in order to play chords of the seventh eighttones are rendered.

The valves E and E are constructed and arranged as in my twopreviously-patented accordions, particularly the second one, and theyare also operated in the same manner, except the fourth valve, requiredto be opened for a seventh chord. Both these rows of valves have similarkeys, one of which is provided for each valve, the same consisting ofspring-pressed levers G G and connectingrods with finger-pieces,digitals, or buttons F F. The buttons F are connected with the levers Gand the buttons F with the levers G, the former controlling the valves Eand the latter the valves E. The levers G have an arm fastened to thevalves E, which arm extends under a hook g, projecting from the end ofthe valves E directly opposite, so that when either of the valves E israised from its seat over the apertures A A the lever-arm connectedtherewith will also raise one of the valves E through the hook gthereof, as illustrated and explained in my patents aforesaid. Thesimultaneous opening of two of these valves causes the melody to beheard at the same time as the bass, as previously, the low, middle, andhigh tones being produced together by the reeds, save during theapplication of the damper, hereinafter described, when the deepest tonesare shut off, as will be explained farther below. A spring 6 is providedfor each valve E in the present improvement also, the same operating toclose the valves E Eand to return the keys to their normal position assoon as released. The levers G are indirectly connected with theirvalves E, having each an arm catching under a rod '1', projected fromeach one of a corresponding number of rockshafts H and extending underone side of a double stationary hook 7', with which each valve E isprovided. The shafts II are laid parallel, as before, under cross-barsJ, and each of them has four rods z'that is to say, three besides theone which is engaged by the arm of the corresponding lever G. Out ofthese additional rods one, which may be called the second rod of theshafts ll, catches under the hook j of a second valve E on the sideopposite to where the first rod comes, while the two othersthat is tosay, the third and fourth rodsare respectivelyadapted to alternatelyengage on opposite sides with i11- clinable or reversible hooks j, thatare connected with the fixed hooks j, so that either one of two othervalves E may be raised at the same time as those that are lifted by thefirst and second rods when one of the shafts H is rocked, all after themanner specified and illustrated in the second of my said patents. Themovable hooks j are secured to wires 7' passed through the head of thehooks j, and are inclined to right and left, so as to raise either ofthe two last-mentioned valves E by rocking said wires through the agencyof the slide-and-lever mechanism described in my said second patent, thesame being under the control of the thumb-piece N. The valves E may thusbe opened independently of the valves E by pressing any of the buttonsF, but they are not opened singly, three of them being raised togetheralways and in such order as to uncover air-openings that lead to pairsof reeds, which, being sounded simultaneously, will give common chordsor triads, either major or minor, according as to whether or no thethumb-piece N is depressed and whether the inclinable hooks j are causedto engage the third or the fourth rod of the shaft H, rocked by the keythat is being fingered and the first rodt' thereto connected. The triadsthat can be produced byany given key are indicated in Fig. 6 and will bepointed out hereinafter.

About all the parts enumerated above, it will be noted, have beensufficiently and more or less fully described in my previous patents.Yet-theyareintimatelyconnected with and actually form part of themechanism required to carry out the present improvement. Hence thenecessity to which I felt obliged to yield of briefly describing themagain herein.

Chords of the seventh are produced in my new improved accordion byopening one valve in addition to the three valves required to be openedfor giving common chords. This fourth valve, like the other three, istaken in each instance from the row marked E. All of the valves E canthus be taken up in turn to complete the combinations or series of fourthat are jointly adapted to bring out chords of the seventh.

The fourth valve in each combination or series is raised at the sametime as the others by pressing on the same button and through thefollowing means, viz: A sliding plate P is placed behind the levers G Galong the side wall of the box A that is nearest to these levers. Thisplate extends beyond the lovers at each end of the box, and it isprovided with guide-pins P, that hold it on edge within strapsorbrackets P the pins P being passed through suitable holes in thelatter. Spiral springs P, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1, arecoiled about these guide-pins within the holding-straps, so as tonormally keep the slidiu g plate back against the side wall of the boxA, as represented in said Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 3. The plate P has onits face a series of journal-bearings 1, in which are journaled leversQ, corresponding in number with the valves E and respectively adapted tocommand these valves. The levers Q are bent so that their shorter armlies always opposite one of the levers Gr, in the rear thereof, whiletheir longer arm extends forward between the-levers G and G and reachesunder the hook g of one of the valves E in such a way that the shortleverarm in each case is behind a lever G, which, if worked by itscorrespond ing button F, will operate to open three valves that willgive a certain major or minor chord, and the long lever-arm, on theother hand, is within reach of another valve, which if opened in timewill change that particular major or minor chord into a chord of theseventh.

It will be noticed that all the levers Q but two are bent and journaledin the same way, their longer arm reaching the second valve on the rightfrom the first of the series of three valves commanded by the lever G,behind which their shorter arm is located. The two exceptions are thetwo levers marked, respectively, Q and Q the short arms of which arebehind the last two levers of the series G on the right and the longarms of which have to reach the first two valves in the row at theopposite end of the box A on the left. As shown in Fig. 2, these leversQ, and Q run in a direction opposite to that of the others, and theirjournals are placed lower down in the bearings P of the plate P.Normally the short arms of the levers Q are out of thereach of thelevers G owing to the springs P, which keep the plate P back, so that ifthe levers G be worked, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, withoutadvancing the plate theywill merely operate to produce common chords, asheretofore; but if the plate P be slid forward to the positionillustrated in Fig. 4 and the levers G pushed back then the latter willreach the short arms of the levers Q opposite and swing them so thelevers Q will rock in their bearings on the plate P and their long armswill catch under the hooks g of the valves E which they respectivelycommand and will raise them at the same time as the other valves thatare raised normally by the levers G and connected parts, therebyoperating to produce seventh chords. The sliding plate is moved by arocking bar R, journaled in brackets R above it and having fingers R,that bear against its rear surface. Upon the bar being rocked thefingers R press on the plate and cause it to slide forward, so it willstand in the position represented in Fig. 4. The bar is thus rocked bymeans of a curved arm R", secured toit at one end anditself swung by alever S, engaging a notch R made in the free end of the said curved arm.The lever S is f ulcrumed at S near one end of the row of valves E andis connected by a link or rod S to a second lever S, fulcrumed at S? onthe top of the box A. The free end of this second leveris under adepressor T,which consists of a rod held by suitable loops or eyesformed on small plates T screwed to the cover of the boX A, and is bentso it may be worked by the palm of the hand that fingers the buttons F Fwhenever required. Pressing down on the rod T causes both the levers Sand S to oscillate and at the same time raise the arm R thereby rockingthe bar R, swinging the fingers R thereof, sliding the plate P forward,and carrying the levers Q, to an operative position. Releasing thedepressor allows the parts to resume their former position owing to theaction of the springs P, and the lever S is so connected, besides, withother mechanism, hereinafter described, that its free end remainsnormallyin a downward position, leaving the arm R down and cansing thelever S to keep the depressor raised.

In Fig. 6 are indicated the various chords which myimproved accordion isnow adapted to produce, both triads and Sept-chords. As will beobserved, this figure is made of two parts separated by blank spaces,but divided into corresponding sections by the same vertical lines. Inthe sections of the lower part are shown the keys or buttons whichproduce the chords, and next above each key or button are the ordinalsof the valves which it commands when rendering a major chord. Thecorresponding sections of the upper part give in each case the number ofthe fourth valve, which is opened, in addition to the other threevalves, by the button below, when the depressor is used at the same timethat the button is pressed, and also the additional tone then rendered,which converts the triad into a seventh-chord. Thus, taking the firstsection of the diagram, we find the key of C sharp there representedwith the numbers 1, 12, and 9 immediately above it, and beyond the blankspace higher above we see the numeral 3 and the letter B. This meansthat when the button bearing the sign of C sharp is pressed withoutworking the depressor only the first, twelfth, and ninth valves of therow E will be opened and the reeds thereunder will sound the tonescomposing the chord of O-sharp major; but if the depressor and thebutton are pressed at the same time the third valve in the same row willbe opened, together with the other three valves last mentioned, and thereeds under said third valve sounding the tone B the chord will not be atriad, but it will be a chord of the sevenththat is, one of four tones.Going to the following section we find the sign F sharp at the bottom ofit, the figures 2, 1, and 10 next above, and at the top of the samecolumn over the blank space the letter E and numeral 4. This signifiesthat by pressing the button marked F sharp the second, first, and tenthvalves of the row IE will be raised and the chord of F-sharp majorsounded if the depressor is left in its normal position; but if thedepressor is forced down while the button is pressed a seventh-chordwill be had instead, because then the fourth valve IE will also beraised and the tone E rendered simultaneously with the others; and so onwith all the other sections of the diagram.

The minor chords have not been indicated in Fig. 6, as this would be amere repetition of what appears in my first patent and would not help tounderstand any better the nature of my present invention. It will besufiicient to note that minor chords can be had now as before bypressing down the thumb-piece N at the same time that the buttons F arepressed, so that a change will take place in the series of three valvescommanded by any one button. For example, if the thumb-piece isdepressed while pushing on the button marked C sharp in Fig. 6, thefourth valve E will be opened instead of the ninth and the chord ofO-sharp minor will be given, the same as in my previously-patentedaccordions. If the thumb-piece is down while the button bearing the signF sharp is pressed,the fifth valve E will be raised in place of thetenth and the chord of F-sharp minor will be obtained. The same holdsgood for all the chord-producing buttons F whenever they are depressedtogether with the thumb-piece N. It will be noted also that chords ofthe seventh can be had just as well when the buttons F and thethumb-piece N would otherwise be in position to produce minor chords ifthe depressor is worked at the same time. Only, the chords then had aredifierent from those obtained when the thumb-piece is not used. Thus itwill be seen that four different chords can be had with my new improvedaccordion by pressing a single buttonthat is to say, one major chord,one minor chord, and two chords of the seventh-and this is true of eachand every one of the series of buttons F with which the instrument isprovided. All depends, as above explained, on how the buttons aremanipulated, whether alone or together with the depressor, or with boththe depressor and the thumb-piece. The buttons, depressor, andthumb-piece are worked together with the one hand, the palm of the handbearing on the depressor, the extended thumb on the piece N, and eitherof the fingers on the button that will bring out the chord desired.

The buttons, digitals, or finger-piecesF and F, hereinabove described,are preferably arranged on the instrument after the manner illustratedat Fig. 5. There it will be seen that they are twenty-four in number,distributed into three rows of eight buttons each, covering altogetherbut a small space. Those comprised in the vertical rows designated bythe letter of reference F are those hereinabove referred to as beingadapted to raise the valves E and E together, so that both the bass andmelody will be heard simultaneously. Those included in the alternatevertical rows designated by the letter of reference F are those which ithas been said will operate to open the valves E in threes or foursindependently of the valves E and so as to produce triads andsept-chords. The latter are the same that have been reproduced in asingle row and in sequence at the bottom of Fig.

6, where are pointed some of the chords which they command. Otherarrangements of the buttons F F could of course be made; but I find thearrangement illustrated a practical and convenient one. 7

The damper hereinbefore referred to is designated by the letter U. Itconsists of a small board hinged to the under side of the boX A andadapted to cover that side of the block D where the reeds (Z arelocated. Its purpose is to check the action of these reeds whenever itis brought to bear against them and the buttons F are pressed at thesame time. It has small pieces of felt or leather U secured at suitableintervals on its inner surface, that bear directly on those reeds whichout of each pair of the reeds d are fastened to the outside of theslitted plates (i and vibrate outwardly from the reed-block. The spacesor parts of board between the pieces U on the other hand, bear on theleather strips (1, that cover the slits in the plates d opposite thoseother reeds (Z which are fastened on the inside and vibrate inwardlywith respect to the block D, the relative position of the several reedsand leather strips opposite each being the same as is shown in my firstpatent aforesaid. The construction is such that when the board U is awayfrom the reed-block, as in Figs. 3 and 7, the wind has full access tothe reeds (Z within their respective compartments or cells under theopenings A, whichever way the bellows is worked, and whenever thebuttons F are pressed the reeds (Z are sounded simultaneously with theother reeds that are under the openings A A and A", and both the bassand melody are heard; but when the board U is closed upon thereed-block, as in Figs. 4 and S, then the wind is cut oif from the reedsd, their vibration is checked, and the bass is no longer heard, only themelody.

The damper is normally kept away from the reed-block by a spring V,coiled at V and having its ends secured by screws V V, one to the boardU and the other to the block D. It is applied to shut off the tones ofthe bass by means of a swinging rod or lever \V, passed through lugs \W,secured to the box A near the point where the board U is hinged. Thisrod is bent so that one end of it will extend downward across the middleof the damper, in the rear thereof, as shown in Fig. 8. The other end ofthe rod W stands out and is connected by a string to one end of abell-crank lever fulcrumed at W on the end of the block D, the string Vpassing through an eye-screw \V, driven into the end of the board U nearits lower edge. The other end of the bell-crank is connected by a linkTV to the lever S, hereinbefore described, and through the latter andits connectionsnamely, the link S and lever Sthe damper is thus broughtunder the control of the depressor T. Pressing on the depressortherefore operates both to bring the plate P and its levers Q forwardand also to shut down the damper. The resulting effect is according towhich set of keys is used. If the buttons F are pressed so the valves Eand IE will open together, the damper will prevent the sounding of thereeds (1, located below the apertures A under the valves E, and themusic will be rendered without the graver tones. If the buttons I arepressed instead, the damper has no particular function to fulfil, butthe levers Q will be in the posit-ion required to obtain chords of theseventh, as previously explained.

The advantage in having the depressor work the mechanism forseventh-chords and the damper for the bass jointly lies in that but onedepressing device need be employed, and the use of an extra or separatedepressor for working either part is thereby avoided. IV hen thedepressor is released, the spring V reopens the damper and inconjunction with the springs P operates to raise the de pressor itself,as will be readily understood.

The use of the damper, it will be observed, considerably enlarges thecompass of the instrument, since with it the player can have twenty-fourdifferent replications of the bass and melody by fingering only twelvekeys or buttonsnamely, the set designated by the letter F. If to this isadded the forty-eight chords that can be played by fingering singly thetwelve other keys or buttons indicated by the letter F one may have anidea of what my improved accordion can now perform. Of course referenceis had here only to the fullsized instrument, because, as heretofore, Imake also smaller instruments of less compass on the same principle.

Having described my new improvement, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ofvalves, an operating key or button, mechanism operated by said key foropening said valves in series to produce triads, mechanism for changingone valve of the series whereby eithera major or a minor chord isproduced, an independent valve, operating mechanism therefor, and meansfor placing said last-mentioned mechanism in position to be actuated bysaid key whereby said independent valve is operated with either theoriginal or the altered series so as to change either the major or minorchord to a seventh-chord.

2. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ofvalves, an operating-key', mechanism operated by said key for openingsaid valves in series of three to produce triads, means for causing theopening of another valve for one of the series of three, an additionalvalve, mechanism for operating the same including a lever normally outof operative relation with said key, and means for moving said leverinto operative relation with said key whereby said additional Gil valvecan be opened with either the original series or the altered series ofthree.

3. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ofvalves, an operating-key, mechanism operated by said key for openingsaid valves in series of three to produce major and minor chords, meansfor effecting a change in the series so as to obtain either chord, asupplemental valve, mechanism for operating the same including a levernormally out of operative relation with said key, and means for bringingsaid lever into operative relation with said key.

4. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ofvalves, an operating-key, mechanism operated by said key for openingsaid valves in series of three, means for causing the operation ofanother valve in place of one of said series of three to change a majorto a minor chord, a supplementary valve, mechanism for operating thesame comprising a lever, a spring-pressed plate carrying said lever, anda rocking bar arranged to slide said plate to place said lever undercontrol of the operating-key, a depressor, and connections between thelatter and the rocking bar for operating the same.

5. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of bassand melody reeds, valves controlling the same, reeds that sound tones inchords, valves for the latter, operating keys and connections for saidvalves, supplemental valves,operating-levers therefor, a damper for thebass-reeds, a depressor, mechanism connecting said depressor with saidsupplemental-valve levers, and other mechanism connecting the damperwith the aforesaid mechanism and through it with the depressor, wherebyboth the damper and the supplemental-valve levers are operated by thesingle depressor.

6. In an instrument of the character described, the combination, ofvalve E, operating-levers therefor, mechanism for operating said leversincludinga depressor and a lever S, a damper, and mechanism foroperating the same connected with said lever S whereby both the damperand valves E are operated by said depressor.

'7. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of areed-board and reeds, a damper therefor,and operating means for thedamper comprising a bell-crank lever fulcrumed to said reed-board, alever W, a flexible connection between the bell-crank lever and thelever IV, a spring for holding the damper open, a depressor, andconnections between the depressor and said bellcrank lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH GALLEAZZI.

